Review: #Broadchurch

Gracepoint starts tonight (Thursdays on Fox at 9 pm) it's not exactly a remake of Broadchurch, but it really is. According to the people in charge, it's very, very similar but 2 episodes longer and with a different ending. We'll see. (Plus David Tennant's American accent. Hmm, weird.)

So if you're planning on watching Gracepoint and haven't seen Broadchurch yet, what are you waiting for??

What can I say about Broadchurch? You need to watch it yourself. It's only 8 episodes long and trust me, once you start you won't stop. You can't, really. I'm pretty good at figuring out the whodunit, but this one? Shocked me.

I do suggest putting the volume up if you're not used to hearing UK accents that aren't Colin Firth's, but this small town murder mystery has such real and authentic people you easily and quickly get used to it. As with all small towns, people know everything about you--except all those secrets you hid when you came to the small town to begin with.

Is it a typical small town? Are the residents of Broadchurch also typical? Of course, that isn't the point. the scenery is gorgeous but the people are what make this so remarkable. They're deeply flawed and in only 8 episodes I learned so much about them even as I tried to figure out who the murderer was.

My understanding is that season 2 is on the way. I can't wait!

5 stars.

#BookBlast The Book Blogger Platform by Barb Drozdowich @sugarbeatbc

Social Media and Wordpress Consultant Barb Drozdowich has taught at Universities and Colleges, trained technical personnel in the banking industry and, most recently, used her expertise to help dozens of authors develop the social media platform needed to succeed in today’s fast evolving publishing world. She owns Bakerview Consulting and manages the popular blog, Sugarbeat’s Books.

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Blurb:

Book Blogging - One of the Best Hobbies in the World!

Join thousands of book bloggers in expressing their joy of reading!

Are you a book blogger or do you want to be one? Are you having trouble handling the technical details of blogging? The Book Blogger Platform can be a "user manual" for your blog! A book written by a book blogger for book bloggers and that answers all your questions!

The Book Blogger Platform covers topics such as:

1.         What a book blogger blog needs to contain

2.         A step by step guide to manipulating images and videos

3.         A description of all the common features hosted by book bloggers

4.         A description of the social media aspect to a book blogger platform

5.         Being Social - the social aspect of book blogging

 If you are tired of always asking other bloggers questions

Let The Book Blogger Platform guide you painlessly. Over 80 color graphics lead you step by step through some of the more difficult technical issues that bloggers face.

Pick up a copy today and approach blogging with confidence!

Buy it on Amazon!

Excerpt:

from Chapter 3: Review/Promotion Policy—Review Philosophy

As I’ve commented before, some book bloggers review books and some don’t. Some book bloggers promote any book, regardless of whether or not they have read it; some don’t. These are preferences; there isn’t a right or a wrong. Since everyone will run their blog differently, I believe all bloggers need a page that outlines their review/promotion philosophy.

Authors often mistakenly assume that everyone reviews books. They also often mistakenly assume that all book bloggers operate their blogs in a similar fashion.

Because of these assumptions it is a good plan to be honest and upfront with anyone coming to your blog. Create a page—call it Review Policy, or whatever title suits you, and outline what you do on your blog. If what you do is post your thoughts about books that you get from the library and aren’t open to submissions of any sort from authors, state that. If you review submitted books, state what genre you prefer to read. Even if you think you will review all genres, be honest about what your favorites are. Also be honest about other details like length of book, heat level of romance, goriness of a horror novel, etc. For example, I refuse to read anything over 350 or so pages as I find a book longer than that overwhelming, I don’t read horror as it gives me nightmares, the sexual explicitness of a book doesn’t offend me, but I don’t want to read romances involving anything other than human beings. What are your specific thoughts? Make note of them on your Review Policy page.

If you do review, you might want to include information about your reviews. How do you format your thoughts? Do you include spoilers? Do you offer up any quotable quotes that an author can then use in promotions? Do you rate a book using hearts, stars, hopping bunnies, or flashing numbers? Do you post negative reviews? Do you post your thoughts about books that you were unable to finish reading? Do you contact the author and offer up a copy of your review before you post it on your blog? Do you post copies of your reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, or other locations?

With regards to other types of promotions, your Review Policy might include information on the types of features you are willing to post. Do you post for blog tour companies? Do you need you have read and liked a book before you are willing to put anything about it on your blog?

Lastly, you should include how you want to be contacted and what information you need to consider when featuring or reviewing a book. I know I prefer to be contacted via email, but a lot of bloggers use an embedded form that authors need to fill in to be considered. Make sure you are clear about the information you require from the author to decide about their book. If you aren’t, you may find what some authors deem sufficient leaves you with questions.

Do authors always read your review policy? No! I think there are enough people like me harping on the fact that they have to read the policy—that they need to treat bloggers as individuals—that the message will gradually get through.

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Review #SleepyHollow season 1

Yes. It is that good. It's better than that good. And if you're not watching it you need to. That, and you need to follow Orlando Jones on Twitter during the actual episodes-that man is funny!

Based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the show took it to the next level. Sure, the Johnny Depp movie wasn't bad, but this is just wow.

Ichabod Crane is totally lickable. Go on, look at his photo. Don't lick your computer screen, it's okay. I understand. And that British accent. Yum. Plus, the Ichabod wit on finding himself in the 21st century and his observations on (our) everyday activities is awesome.

"What's insane is a 10% levy on baked goods! You do realize the Revolutionary War began on less than 2%! How is the public not flocking to the streets in outrage? We must do something." Just one of many adorable and hysterical Ichabod quotes from the show. And that scene where he learns how to use a shower? Yes, as funny as you're now imagining.

But there is actually a plot, and much deeper than the wit and witticism of 21st century Ichabod Crane.

Thanks to his Wicca wife, he comes back from a Revolutionary War death in modern day. Katrina, his wife, is not only beautiful, but she has mad chemistry with Ichabod. I love their love story and I love what she's sacrificed to stop evil from permeating the new America.

Abby Mills, Sleepy Hollow cop, is absolutely  great. SHe's smart, tough, and an equal to Ichabod's character. She doesn't make silly "girlly" mistakes  but can own up when she is mistaken, the hallmark of a fascinating character. To use a well known quote, I think it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

All in all, if you haven't watched season 1, sadly only 13 episodes, you need to. This weekend. All at once because once you start you won't want to stop. If you like history, wrapped in a contemporary, with a heavy dose of the paranormal, then Sleepy Hollow is your thing.

5 stars all the way

Review @HouseofCards season 2

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to DC! Not if you're an opponent of Frank Underwood! This season he has his sights set on a very lofty goal and takes it to the next level.If you thought it was charmingly ruthless in season 1, forget it. Season 1 Frank was an amateur compared to season 2 Frank.

There are moments in season 2 where you're shocked, deliciously appalled, or erotically intrigued.

I give this season 5 stars as well and waiting for season 3 with bated breath!

Review @HouseofCards season 1

This is about the Netflix show, not the 90s British show of the same name and theme.

I didn't see the British version, only the Kevin Spacy version, but I was blown away in the first 3 minutes. Francis "Frank" Underwood  is a master political manipulator, the Democratic Majority Whip. Actually he's a master manipulator. Period.

We begin with the election of a new president, very clearly with Frank's help; Frank even helped the President's Chief of Staff get appointed. Frank expects to be appointed Secretary of State as his reward for all his help to the new president. The president has other plans. At the ninth hour, before Frank believes his appointment is to be announced, Frank learns the president needs him in congress and won't be extending the Secretary of State chair appointment to him.

This is important to the rest of the season and into season 2. Actually, these are the events that drive the entirety of House of Cards. Frank wants revenge for being slighted. He doesn't take kindly to broken promises. But when Frank gets even, it's a blood sport.

House of Cards is a smart, tight, gripping political thriller that takes you on a ride with twists and turns you'd never expect. Just when you think all is lost, Frank Underwood, or as the cufflinks that are gifted to him by a trusted Secret Service agent show, FU pulls not just a rabbit, but an elephant out of his hat.

5 stars. Definitely.

Review #NCIS season 11

I've made it no secret I'm a fan of NCIS. But this year I was very disappointed, and yes heartbroken, that Ziva (Cote de Pablo) left the show. Her exit episodes left much to be desired, they barely revolved around her character, but I did enjoy her kiss with Tony. That, and the fact they did not kill off her character.

The first several episodes showed a couple temporary agents. Of those, the only memorable ones were Vera and Coast Guard agent, Abigail Borin. Either one would've been a fine addition to the cast.

Overall, this season I found extremely uneven. Extremely. Only a handful of episodes were cohesive and actually stood out.

I could say a lot about the additional of Agent Bishop, and how I consider her a Mary Sue character, but I'll simply say: It's my opinion that the Bishop character doesn't fit the dynamic already established between the cast and characters.

Though this once was my favorite show, I give this season only 2.5 stars. I hope they find a better footing next season.

Review #Longmire season 2

Season 2 picks up right where season 1 left off. I enjoyed that right off, because it meant that the cliffs from the first season hadn't been ignored, stretched to fit the break, or neatly tied up off screen. Also, the subplots from the first season grew, they're more elaborate and intriguing.

Characters now intermingle that from season 1, I didn't expect to intermingle and with quite interesting results! It's hard to write this without any spoilers, but let me say this: For me, season 2 was even better than season 1. The stories were tighter and since I was already familiar with the characters, everything had a deeper, more intriguing twist.

There's just so much going on, and while season 2 had 13 instead of 10 episodes, I really wanted it to keep going. But on the other hand, I enjoyed the shortened season because it didn't have those filler episodes, all the episodes were cohesive to the entire season and characters' arc.

Make sure you don't miss an episode, it all overlaps to create a compelling show that really is can't miss!

Longmire is based on a series of contemporary western mysteries by Craig Johnson. Season 3 starts this past Monday, June 3, at 10p.m. EST on A and E.

Review #Longmire season 1

Longmire is not your average crime of the week drama. There's nothing average about it! It doesn't take place in a big city, but in the off the beaten track (fictional) Wyoming county, Absaroka (pronounced ab-suh-ro-ka).

Not only does Longmire give us a glimpse of small town life that could almost hark back to the 1800s, except with cell phones and except for Walt Longmire who refuses to use one, but it also shows us that if you live in a remote town in Wyoming or the heart of Manhattan, bad guys are everywhere.

Longmire offers interesting and unique characters far from the ordinary fare. Longmire himself is a leathery old-town sheriff set in his ways, but he has incredible depth, insight, and compassion with his work. Flawed and very human, he is.

Two of his deputies, Branch and Vic, are opposites but bring their own unique perspectives to the show. Vic is a transplanted Philadelphia cop who does not want to be in Wyoming, but the gas company her husband works for transferred him. Branch is the rich local boy turned sheriff's deputy still looking for his own path.

Season 1 is full of mysteries and what I loved most about this is other than the mystery-of-the-week, there's an ongoing one involving Walt's dead wife. Walt's best friend, Henry Standing Bear, has his own secrets about the wife's death, but since season 1 is only 10 episodes, not much is revealed.

I loved that about Longmire, because they didn't drag out this mystery, but the clues kept me coming back for more. Other than the deputies, the secondary cast is outstanding. Everyone has their own quirks, their own lives, their own flaws. It makes for a very believable world and very believable stories.

I highly recommend Longmire season 1.

Longmire is based on a series of contemporary western mysteries by Craig Johnson. Season 3 starts Monday June 3 at 10p.m. EST on A&E.

5 Star #Review for Improper Conduct

5 Ribbon Review! Yeah, how excited am I?!My first review for Improper Conduct! Read the whole review here at Romance Junkies.

Isabel Roman’s new release IMPROPER CONDUCT is a thrilling read that held my attention from beginning to end.  Jules obsession with the series of crimes and her emotional upheaval over the entire situation is riveting, especially when she goes head to head with Callum about her plans regarding the suspect.  I couldn’t help but feel for Callum, as a police chief he has a job to do and has to trust in his officers’ skills, but as a man he wants to ensure that Jules doesn’t succumb to the killer’s seduction attempts.   I’m not normally big on suspense novels, but I have to admit I loved everything about this story – from the mystery of how the killer is getting away with his crimes, right down to the romance between Jules and Callum, even the crimes themselves left me in a state of awe.  This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Roman but I can definitely say it won’t be the last.  

Her next book, SINK OR SWIM doesn’t have a release date yet but it looks just as appealing as IMPROPER CONDUCT so stop by her website and check it out – and while you’re there, be sure to enter her contest for an Amazon Kindle Fire HD. 

Where to find: Amazon
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#Review Storm Dancer by Rayne Hall

About Rayne:

Rayne Hall has published more than forty books under different pen names with different publishers in different genres, mostly fantasy, horror and non-fiction. Recent books include Storm Dancer (dark epic fantasy novel), Six Scary Tales Vol 1, 2 and 3 (mild horror stories), Six Historical Tales (short stories), Six Quirky Tales (humorous fantasy stories), Writing Fight Scenes, The World-Loss Diet and Writing Scary Scenes (instructions for authors).

She holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Currently, she edits the Ten Tales series of multi-author short story anthologies: Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires, Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts, Scared: Ten Tales of Horror, Cutlass: Ten Tales of Pirates, Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft, Spells: Ten Tales of Magic, Undead: Ten Tales of Zombies and more.  

Rayne has lived in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal and  has now settled in a small dilapidated town of former Victorian grandeur on the south coast of England.

 https://sites.google.com/site/raynehallsdarkfantasyfiction/

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Rayne will be awarding an ebook copy of The Colour of Dishonor, Stories from the Storm Dancer World to a commenter on every stop (chosen by the host). One grand prize winner will received the following ten ebooks: Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts, Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires, Beltane: Ten Tales of Magic, Undead: Ten Tales of Zombies, Bites: Ten Tales of Zombies, Six Scary Tales Vol 1, Six Scary Tales Vol 2, Six Scary Tales Vol 3, Six Quirky Tales, Six Historical Tales. 

Blurb:  

Demon-possessed siege commander, Dahoud, atones for his atrocities by hiding his identity and protecting women from war's violence - but can he shield the woman he loves from the evil inside him?

Principled weather magician, Merida, brings rain to a parched desert land. When her magical dance rouses more than storms, she needs to overcome her scruples to escape from danger.

Thrust together, Dahoud and Merida must fight for freedom and survival. But how can they trust each other, when hatred and betrayal burn in their hearts?

'Storm Dancer' is a dark epic fantasy. British spellings. Caution: this book contains some violence and disturbing situations. Not recommended for under-16s.

Review:
A wonderfully written fantasy story with vivid details and a truly interesting plot that had many levels and meanings. The world Ms. Hall created is fascinating and clearly rendered, and I loved reading about it.

Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with the characters. Immature and insensitive didn't begin to describe them and I had little to no sympathy for either. I will give them this: Dahoud constantly fights his inner demonic djinn and really himself in the process, and Merida at least grows from the woman she was raised as into someone she truly owns.

I also think there needs to be a stronger warning about the level of violence: The caution about some violence and disturbing situations is not strong enough and I would not recommend this for even 16 year olds. This was very much an adult story with disturbing rape scenes and heavily graphic torture scenes.

Overall, I give it 3.5 stars
  

Excerpt:

Even in the shade of the graffiti-carved olive tree, the air sang with heat. Dahoud listened to the hum of voices in the tavern garden, the murmured gossip about royals and rebels. If patrons noticed him, they would only see a young clerk sitting among the lord-satrap's followers, a harmless bureaucrat. Dahoud planned to stay harmless.

 

The tavern bustled with women - whiteseers hanging about in the hope of earning a copper, traders celebrating deals, bellydancers clinking finger cymbals - women who neither backed away from him nor screamed.

The youngest of the entertainers wound her way between the benches towards their table, the tassels on her slender hips bouncing, the rows of copper rings on her sash tinkling with every snaky twist. Since she seemed nervous, as if it was her first show, he sent her an encouraging smile. Ignoring him, she shimmied to Lord Govan.

The djinn slithered inside Dahoud, stirring a stream of fury, whipping his blood into a hot storm. Would she dare to disregard the Black Besieger? What lesson would he teach to punish her insolence?

 Dahoud stared past her sweat-glistening torso, the urge to subdue her washing over him in a boiling wave. For three years, he had battled against the djinn's temptations. To indulge in fantasies would batter his defences and breach his resistance. He focused on the flavours on his tongue, the tart citron juice and the sage-spiced mutton, on the tender texture of the meat. 

Where to Buy:

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